Watch Over Me
by Cloudburst452
Summary: When Lynna is rescued from disaster at Zora's Domain, she is introduced to a whole new way of life. Sheik/OC
1. Chapter 1: Just For Luck

Quick Background on my OC: Lynna is Link's sister, older by about a year and a half. She was raised by the Zoras since the age of three, when she and Link's mother was fleeing the war that took place before the events of Ocarina of Time (assuming, of course, that I'm remembering what the Deku Sprout said accurately. If I'm completely wrong, oh, well...). The Zoras decided to take care of Lynna, then sent baby Link and their mother on their merry way (How nice of them...). Her only connection to her brother is a pendant that she and Link both have one of. They met briefly when Link saved Ruto from Jabu-Jabu.

This takes place about four years after Link first removes the Master Sword.

--

Chapter 1 - Just For Luck

_Drip…drip…_

Lynna slowly opened her eyes. She was a young girl of about fifteen years. The lanterns had not yet been lit, and the only light in the stone chamber came from the water. Everything was tinted blue, except for her eyes. Her eyes did not need the reflections of the water to be a soft blue.

_Drip…drip…_

She sat up slowly, her blankets pooling around her waist. She brushed her blonde hair out of her face, only to have it curl rebelliously at her pointed ears. She swung her legs off of the bed and sat on the edge, staring contemplatively at her knees. "I'll do fine today," she whispered to no one in particular.

_Drip…drip…_ replied the stone walls.

She stood up, taking something from her small side-table. She fastened the necklace about her neck with a flourish, and it hung elegantly against her navy blue short-sleeved top. She lightly touched the necklace, her slender fingers tracing the curves of the deep blue, tear-shaped pendant. Her thoughts lingered for a few moments on the pendant's counterpart, which hung around the neck of the boy that had come to Zora's Domain five years ago; the boy that had saved Princess Ruto from the belly of their deity; the boy who was her brother.

_Drip…drip…_

She vaguely wondered, and not for the first time, what had become of him. They had not talked since he left her adopted home. He had left in such a rush, she didn't even have the chance to say good-bye.

Lynna went to a small dresser that was next to the entrance to her room. She opened a drawer and took out an old, tattered Zora tunic, hurriedly putting it on over her top. The sleeves had long since been ripped off in some way or another, and the bottom edge was torn and frayed. Next, she grabbed her boots from beside the dresser and put them on. They were covered from the ankle down in a mysterious, rubber-like blue substance that stretched over the toes of the boots to make flippers, when she wished it. The same material encircled her wrists. She tied back a portion of her shoulder-length hair back in a small, loose ponytail as she walked over to the waterway that led to the main chamber of Zora's Domain.

"I might as well start practicing for the test before everyone else is up…"

_Drip…drip…_

She gave a start. "Oh! I almost forgot!" she scolded herself. She strode over to the crack in the ceiling that was dripping. She stood under it and closed her eyes, positioning her head so that a drop fell on each eye. A shudder traveled down her spine. She whispered gratefully, "Hopefully I won't need your luck today, but it doesn't hurt to be safe…"

She jogged over to the waterway and dove in head-first.

--

AN: This is my first serious attempt at fan-fiction, so please be nice. :D


	2. Chapter 2: The Test

Chapter 2 - The Test

The other denizens of Zora's Domain had already gathered around the edges of the main chamber. The sudden coldness of air bit at Lynna's skin as she pulled herself onto the small island next to the waterfall. She shivered slightly as she pulled her Zora tunic over her head and laid it out on the ground. She hesitated a moment, then took off her pendant and placed it on her tunic. _I don't want to lose it during the test…_ she thought to herself.

"Are you ready yet, girl??" The voice of her zora teacher, Zid, echoed impatiently down from the top of the waterfall.

"Almost," Lynna said, half to herself. She smoothed a wrinkle in her beige pants as she stood up. "Are _you_ ready for me to pass your test?" she said boldly.

"Oh-ho-ho, confident, are we? Remember how you did _last_ time you tried to pass, girl?" His voice reflected the lack of respect that he had for Lynna, which he had held since she had come under his tutelage. The other zoras were never exactly friendly towards her, but they never taunted her to the extent that Zid did. He had never, since she had been left in the care of the zoras, taken her seriously. But that was going to change today.

Lynna rushed up to the top of the waterfall, running as fast as her legs would take her. She stared Zid in his smug face before the last echoes of his latest taunt had faded away. His blue lips curled into an unfriendly grin as he said, "Let's begin then, shall we?"

With an elaborate gesture of his fins, a dozen glittering rupees fell into the deep waters below. He picked up a small hour-glass. "Ready…set…go!" She leapt off of the waterfall and dove into the water head-first.

It was difficult for her to see underwater, but she was able to distinguish the bright red, blue, and green of the rupees from the dull blue-gray of the pool bottom. She swam quickly through the depths, grabbing the rupees as if her life depended on it. Her lungs began to burn, but she refused to waste precious time going up for air. There was only one more to retrieve. She pumped her legs, making her glide swiftly for the last rupee. Her fingers curled around it, and she kicked off the bottom to the surface.

She gasped, the cool air relieving the fire in her chest. She pulled herself up next to her tunic and spread the rupees on the ground, her head spinning. It took her a moment to hear the roaring crowd.

"Well done, kid! You're one of _us_ now…"

Zid threw a small, glinting object down on top of Lynna's tunic. She grinned as she held the diving scale up to her face, inspecting it in the light. She slid on her tunic and picked up her pendant, undoing the knot on the string. She slid the scale onto the string, letting it and her pendant hanging side-by-side. She squeezed it tightly with her hands, a look of utter triumph on her face.


	3. Chapter 3: Escape

Chapter 3 - Escape

Lynna was about to tie her necklace back around her neck when an explosion rattled Zora's Domain. The string slipped from her hands, the pendant and scale glittering innocently as they fell to the floor. Before she could pick them up, she felt pressure around her waist, quickly followed by a sudden jerk towards the waterfall.

She was airborne for a moment before her body passed through the sheet of water that was the waterfall. In that brief moment, she saw a flash of violet light come from the entrance from Zora's River, accompanied by the screams of the zoras; screams now muffled by the waterfall.

Before she could regain her balance, she was pinned against the back wall of the small void behind the waterfall. Her captor pushed her back against the cold rock with his right forearm, and, with his left hand, covered her mouth to stop her from screaming. Lynna squirmed and tried to pull his hand off of her mouth, but he only held her more still by pushing more forcefully against her.

She tried to yell. Even though his hand muffled her voice, she was still quite audible. Suddenly, his face was mere inches from hers, his red eyes gazing intently into her own.

"Unless you want to be trapped with the zoras, I suggest you stop," His voice was hardly above a whisper. She stopped trying to yell, but still writhed against his grip. In the brief silence behind the waterfall, she could hear more screaming, but also something new. A menacing sound that seemed to make the air thicker. "Please…I'm a friend, you can trust me."

Her body relaxed. She didn't know why she believed him. She had never trusted any _outsider_ other than her brother, so why should this one be trusted? Maybe it was the pleading tone in his voice, or maybe it was the look in his eyes -- a look that conveyed nothing but good intentions. Or it might have been the sudden chill in the air that let her know that he had just taken her from something truly dangerous.

He loosened his grip slightly, but not so much that he wouldn't be able to restrain her again. After a few moments, and it became clear that Lynna had no intention of struggling further, he let go completely and stood next to her, his back also against the wall.

She quietly panted, her breath forming white clouds. She looked over at the young man standing next to her, really looking at him for the first time. He was dressed in skin-tight blue fabric, accompanied by a tattered piece of white cloth that covered the front of his torso and concealed the lower half of his face. His blonde hair stuck to his face from passing under the waterfall.

She leaned a little closer to him, then whispered urgently, "Do you know what's going on?"

He turned towards her and looked as if he was going to answer her, but then he shifted his gaze towards the waterfall, his eyes wide with fear. He silently motioned for her to be quiet, then soundlessly moved in front of her, facing the waterfall. She peered over his shoulder to see what caused him to be so frightened.

There was a large, imposing silhouette of a man against the waterfall. The figure seemed to be standing right in front of the waterfall, even though Lynna knew that to be impossible. She noticed at that moment that all was quiet except for the waterfall. The figure seemed pensive for a moment, then a deep chuckle came from him, followed by the same menacing sound from before.

The waterfall froze mid-flow, and Lynna knew then what had happened to the zoras.

The figure, now distorted by ice, laughed. And then he strode away, his mirth echoing in the nearly lifeless Zora's Domain even as he left for the River.

Then silence.

Lynna did not dare to breath. She was as still as stone, until she began to shake in shock. The young man that she was now trapped with turned to face her.

"He's gone now…Are you alright?" he asked softly. Her chin trembled as she slowly nodded. He placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "That's good," He walked over to the ice sheet that now blocked their entrance and began to tap experimentally on it. He murmured something under his breath and pressed his hand firmly against the ice.

The ice around his hand glowed orange, and heat came from it. But it did not melt. He thought for a moment, then pulled a small dagger from his hip. He held it with both hands above his head. He brought it down with force enough to go through a dodongo's hide, only to let out a yelp as it ricocheted off of the ice, causing his arms to vibrate painfully. He rubbed his arms to dull the pain, then sighed as he picked up the dagger and sheathed it.

Lynna sat on the ground, hugging her knees. She was shivering violently from the cold. "H-hey….if w-we don't get out of h-here and I d-die from hypothermia…you can use me for f-f-food if you want…" She chuckled at the though of herself stuffed, on a plate of lettuce, with an apple in her mouth.

He knelt down beside her. "Don't talk like that…I just need a minute to think and then I can get us out of --" He suddenly stood up, bringing a palm forcefully to his forehead. "Of course, why didn't I think of it before?" He seemed to be talking more to himself than to Lynna. He pulled out a small harp and tuned it slightly.

Lynna was brought out of her pessimistic daze by the tone of his voice. She stood up and eyed him curiously. "I d-don't think this is the right time for a f-folk tune," she laughed through chattering teeth.

He looked her in the eyes, saying softly, "Do you trust me?"

She grinned slightly. "I have a ch-choice?"

"Hold on to me."

She cautiously held onto his arm. The warmth of his arm kept her hands from trembling. His lips curled into an unseen smile as he began to pluck the harp strings. It was a short, yet unsettling song.

"Th-that was lovely," Lynna said.

"Thank you," he replied.

She felt a sudden warm, lifting feeling as she and the young man dissolved into violet light.


	4. Chapter 4: Kindness

Chapter 4 - Kindness

The next thing Lynna knew, she was on her back, lying on what seemed to be a stone slab. It was warm, though, so she didn't mind. The next thing she noticed was that the sun was out. And, again, since it created warmth, she didn't mind.

She propped herself up on her elbows and tried to look around. She could only tell that there was a figure next to her and that there was a dark shape behind them. Why was everything spinning so much?

"Well, that was simple enough…Hey, are you alright?" He seemed surprised that she wasn't standing.

Lynna got precariously to her feet, brushing off her pants as she did so. "Yeah, I'm ok…whooa…" She wobbled and nearly fell over, but her companion caught her. She put a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes as he led her over to a nearby wall.

"You just sit down here for a few minutes, ok?" She plopped down on the ground, keeping her hand on her forehead. "I had forgotten the effect that transportation magic can have on people who aren't used to it…Aside from the dizziness, how do you feel?" He lightly placed his hand on top of her head.

"I'm fine, really," she whispered. She was touched by his concern for her wellbeing. "Thank you." She risked opening her eyes so that she could look him in the face. "You've saved my life, and I don't even know your name."

"My name is Sheik."

"Sheik…what a nice name. I'm Lynna."

She smiled and extended her hand towards him and he delicately shook it for a moment. Sheik cleared his throat and stood up, saying, "Well, Lynna, you should wait here for another minute or two while I go prepare the way out of here. I'll be right over there if you need me before then, okay?" He gestured to the other side of the small clearing before he walked over.

Lynna got a good look at her surroundings for the first time. The dark shape that she had seen before was a set of stairs that seemed to lead into a cave of some sort. Opposite of the stairs was a fence bordering a sudden drop of about twenty feet, which seemed to be overlooking a graveyard.

After she had sufficiently taken in her surroundings, she watched what Sheik was doing. He had found a ladder, which he had leaned against the wall opposite of where she was. At the moment, he seemed to be checking that it was still sturdy by kicking some of the rungs. She assumed that he was satisfied with the strength of the rungs, because he headed back towards where she was still sitting.

"How are you holding up?"

"I think I'm fine now," Lynna replied. She stood up slowly, and didn't feel a head rush. She took a few experimental steps, "Yeah, I'm okay now."

"That's good. Do you think you'd be able to climb a ladder?" He jerked his head towards the ladder that he had set up. Lynna nodded confidently. "Ladies first," He gestured for her to go up the ladder, and she quickly ascended to the ledge above.

Sheik removed the ladder and placed it on its side next to the fence. She did not see that coming. "What are you doing? How are _you_ supposed to get up here now?" she shouted down to him.

But he wasn't there. She looked around on the ledge below, a look of complete confusion on her face. "Sheik? Sheeeiiikkk??"

"Yes?" His voice came from a small distance behind her. She whirled around and saw him leaning casually against a tree that bordered the forest on this higher level.

"What…how did you…?"

Sheik laughed quietly, "Lots of practice. Come on, follow me." And with that, he walked into the forest. Lynna hesitated a moment, but only for a moment, before following him.

--

Sheik led Lynna into a clearing in the forest. In the clearing was a small, cream-colored cottage with dark wood accents, a small garden, and a stream running along side it. Sheik walked up to the door and opened it. He waited for Lynna to enter first before following her, and he closed the door behind him.

The door lead to a hallway with two doors on the left, a large gap and a half-wall that led to the kitchen on the right, and another door at the end of the hallway on the right.

"Come on, let's get you into some dry clothes." He opened the first door on the left, which led to a spare bedroom. He walked over to a dresser, opened a drawer, and started to look through the clothes in it. After a few moments of searching, he pulled out a baggy tunic and a pair of drawstring pants. He held the garments out, expecting Lynna to be close by, but she was still standing meekly by the door to the bedroom. "…You can use these for today. We'll go to Rebecca's tomorrow and get you some new clothes."

Lynna didn't move.

Sheik walked over to her, a look of concern on his face. "Are you alright? Did I say something wrong?" he said apologetically. She looked at him for a moment, then her eyes began to water. Sheik was taken aback. "What's wrong, Lynna?"

Lynna replied, "You're being so kind to me!" She wrapped her arms around him, buried her face in his shoulder, and started to cry.

Now Sheik was flabbergasted. He lightly pat her back, his face turning slightly red. He noticed that her clothes were still very wet. "Why would I not be? Now, listen, you'll catch a cold if you don't get into some dry cloths." He gently pushed her away from his body and handed her the garments that he offered to her before. This time, she accepted them while she wiped tears from her cheeks. "You get changed in here, and I'll go make us some nice tea, how does that sound?" he said gently. Lynna nodded, and he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he left the bedroom, making sure to close the door behind him.


	5. Chapter 5: Making Tea

AN: The way I figure, Zelda lives in Sheik's head. And, as such, they can have little mental conversations with each other. No one else can hear Zelda because she only talks in Sheik's mind. She is most likely going to be the primary source of comic relief in this story, just so you know. My supposition is that the Princess' primary form of entertainment is pushing Sheik's buttons. You know that's what _you'd_ do if you lived in someone's head and knew that they couldn't do anything about it! ;D

On an unrelated note, I figured out how to make a divider thingy, so I won't have to do -- to divide things anymore! Huzzah! happy dance

* * *

Chapter 5 - Making Tea

Sheik was grinding some herbs in a small bowl when he heard a familiar voice in his head.

_.:You like her, don't you?:. _Zelda inquired knowingly. He stopped and his face turned slightly red.

…_I don't know what you're talking about,_ he replied as he resumed making tea.

_.:Of course you don't…and moblins can fly.:._

Sheik huffed in annoyance, and he was now grinding the herbs with such force that they had become a fine powder. _.:Ease up, loverboy! Do these herbs owe you rupees or something?? And you know as well as I do that bitter tea can ruin a first date!:._

Sheik frowned, _I am _not _a 'loverboy!' And I can just steep the tea for less time so that it won't be bitter…_

_.:Aha! So you DO care!:._

_Wha--…I didn't mean it like that! I'm going to be drinking the tea, too, you know._

_.:Just admit that you like her and I'll leave you alone.:._

_No!_

Zelda sighed. _.:At least admit that you think she's cute! And don't forget that I can tell what your body feels, so I'll know if you're lying!:._

Sheik hesitated a moment as he put the herbs into a teakettle that was resting by the fireplace, his face turning a slightly deeper shade of red. _…Well…I suppose I'd be lying if I said I thought she was ugly…_

_.:That's not the answer that I asked for…:._ He let out an exasperated sigh as he sat in a chair next to the small table in the kitchen. _.:Alright, you asked for it…:._

Zelda paused for effect, then began to sing loudly, _.:SHEIK AND LYNNA, SITTING IN A TREE, KAY-EYE-ESS-ESS-EYE-ENN-GEE! FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE--…:._

"Alright! I admit it! Now stop!"

"Stop what?"

His heart skipped a beat as he looked over to the doorway. Lynna entered the kitchen, pulled up a chair across from Sheik, and sat down. The tunic that he had given her to wear was very loose, and the neck was so wide that it slid off of her shoulder a little bit as she leaned on the table with her arms. Her hair was still damp and clung to her face, neck, and shoulders. Sheik bit his lip briefly before replying, "Oh, nothing. Don't mind me, I tend to talk to myself sometimes. I suppose that's what happens when you live by yourself for too long." He laughed awkwardly for a moment.

_.:Smooooooth…:._

_Quiet, you!_

"Um…Sheik?" Lynna said softly.

He quickly forgot Zelda and turned his attention to Lynna. "Yes?" he replied as he leaned closer to her over the table.

"About before…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start crying like that. It's just that no one has ever just been nice to me without asking for something in return like that…well, except for my brother…and I don't really know how to react to that sort of thing," She kept her eyes on the tabletop and spoke softly.

"There's nothing to apologize for. You've had a rough day, you're entitled to some crying. And besides, who said I wasn't going to ask you for anything?" Her expression fell. He chuckled, "I'm just kidding! The tea's probably done by now. Do you want anything with your tea?" He stood up and picked up the teakettle, which was now hot. He placed it on the counter and took a couple of ceramic cups from a shelf.

"I don't know, I've never had tea before."

He poured the tea into the two cups. "Really? Well, see how you like it and you can add whatever you like to it." He turned back to the table and placed a cup in front of Lynna and the other one in front of his place at the table.

Lynna sniffed the tea cautiously, then took a delicate sip. Her face lit up immediately. She exclaimed, "This is delicious!"

"I'm glad you like it," Sheik said as he sat down. He pulled down his cowl with his fingertips as he took a sip of his tea.

Lynna gasped as her hand flew to her mouth.

"What happened to you?" she whispered through her fingers.


	6. Chapter 6: Scars

AN1: When Impa talks about being "Committed," its the Sheikah equivilant of marriage. You either Commit to protecting the Royal Family, or you Commit to protecting your spouse and making a family. You can't do both, because they'd potentially conflict with each other. Also, I made Committing up. Just in case you were confused. :D

AN2: About the whole put-in-a-bottle thing, I figure if you can do it with poes...

AN3: About the earrings, in the OoT manga Impa says that getting ears pierced is a rite of passage into adulthood for male Sheikah. Just in case you haven't read the manga, I figured you should know.

* * *

Chapter 6 - Scars

The unnatural silence was what woke him. A young Sheik sat up in his bed, straining to hear the slightest sound, but there was nothing to see or hear in the utter blackness of the night. He jumped slightly as he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.

"He has made his move. The king and his guards are dead. We must leave with the Princess and protect her at all costs." Impa's voice was barely audible, but Sheik understood what had to be done immediately. He soundlessly got out of bed and quickly walked to the emergency trap-door in his floor; the same door that Impa had used to get into his room without being noticed. Without a second thought, he dropped through the door into the secret tunnels below.

Impa dropped down after him, closed the door, and lit a hidden torch. The flame cast harsh shadows on her stoic face. She headed swiftly in the direction of the stables without waiting to see if Sheik could keep up. He didn't have any trouble in keeping with Impa's quick pace, but his bare feet would occasionally slip on the wet floor, making him stumble slightly. He briefly regretted not changing out of his pajamas, or at least putting shoes or sandals on.

As they neared the exit to the stables, Sheik found himself overcome with a feeling of the surreal. Ever since the Princess started to have her dreams, Impa had drilled every Sheikah in dozens of possible contingency plans. This current situation was the only one in which Sheik would have had to play a major part. He knew exactly what he had to do, he just never thought he'd actually have to _do_ it.

Impa suddenly came to a stop, and Sheik nearly ran into her. As he skidded to a halt, he said, "Why did we stop? The stables aren't for another few minutes."

Impa turned to him, her eyes shining strangely. "You understand the risk you are about to take?" Sheik nodded quickly. Impa paused for a moment, then in one fluid motion knelt down and took Sheik into her arms, holding him tightly. "You've been like a son to me, Sheik…It's been like I've Committed twice over." Impa's voice shook slightly. "If …If we don't make it through this alive…I just wanted you to know that."

She held him for another moment, then stood up. She sighed sadly, then said, "Let's go." She continued running in the same way as before, with Sheik following close behind.

--

Sheik made the final adjustments to his disguise, then wrapped a royal cloak around himself. He was the first one to be ready. Impa was still putting saddles onto two nearly identical white horses, another Sheikah that he didn't know was getting dressed up like Impa, and the Princess was curled up in the corner, shaking with silent sobs.

He shifted anxiously from foot to foot while he waited. He just wanted to get the plan in motion before he lost his nerve. It took the others a few more minutes to get ready.

The stranger Sheikah finished getting ready, and she twitched another royal cloak about herself. She looked as if she could have been Impa's twin sister. She and Impa mounted the two white horses at the same moment. Sheik got onto the horse that the fake Impa was on while Impa gently lifted the Princess onto her horse.

Impa stared at Sheik for a few moments, then rode her horse out of the stable without a word. The fake Impa waited a minute, then spurred the horse on in the opposite direction. The sky started to blacken with an impending storm.

--

Sheik heard the vicious whinny of another horse. He risked a backwards glance, and saw Ganondorf atop a black horse, which was gaining on them fast.

_He took the bait!_ he thought to himself with a slight grin.

The fake Impa urged their horse on, and she whispered to him, "When I say so, jump." He nodded and braced himself. She waited until Ganondorf was only twenty feet away, then yelled, "_Now!_"

They both jumped from the saddle, and the fake Impa disappeared. Sheik felt a jerk, then fell back onto the horse. The horse slowed due to lack of being told where to go, and Sheik panicked. He tugged at his cloak and found that it had gotten caught on the saddle. He struggled frantically with the cloak until it ripped and he fell off of the horse into the road. It began to rain heavily.

"You are not the Princess."

Ganondorf picked Sheik up roughly by the collar, lifting him off of the ground so that they were eye-to-eye. Ganondorf eyed him with an arched eyebrow, then lifted a large wallet with his other hand. "If you tell me where the Princess is, I will give you this whole bag of rupees, and I won't kill you. How does that sound, boy??"

Sheik trembled with anger and spit directly in Ganondorf's face. "_You think you can buy the loyalty of a Sheikah, you arrogant pig?!_" he hissed.

Ganondorf stared at Sheik in disbelief, then his face contorted into a grimace of fury. "That was the wrong answer, boy." He pinned Sheik down to the muddy road and his other hand started to glow.

He did not struggle. He did not apologize or plead for forgiveness. He did not beg for his life, even as he felt his flesh burning from the magic. There was more to the pain than simple burning; it felt as though his very life energy was seeping out of his wounds. A clap of thunder was the last thing Sheik knew before he blacked out.

--

Sheik heard voices. He couldn't tell what they were saying, and he had a massive headache. He groaned, and risked opening his eyes a fraction. Thankfully, the cavern he was now in was rather dark.

He saw a shape hovering over him, and as his vision cleared he realized that it was Impa. She looked as if she had aged several years since he last saw her.

"…Sheik?" she asked softly.

"Hmnyeahh?"

"How do you feel?"

He blinked and thought for a moment. "As if I've been repeatedly hit in the head with a club…and I don't seem to be able to move." His words were slurred and muffled by bandages as he spoke. He dared to ask, "…Were we successful? Is the Princess safe?"

Impa sighed and slowly nodded. "Yes, she's in the safest place she could possibly be," she said with a smile as she lightly touched his forehead with her fingertips. He furrowed his brow in confusion and opened his mouth to ask Impa to elaborate.

_.:Don't worry, Sheik! I'm safe with you protecting me!:._

"Princess?!" His eyes widened and he sat up. He realized a moment too late that movement was excruciatingly painful, and he doubled over with a groan. He looked around the cavern, expecting her to be hiding in a corner. Impa looked at him, a look of concern on her face.

"What's wrong, Sheik?"

"Didn't you hear the Princess say something…?"

_.:Hee hee…they can't hear me, silly. Only _you _can!:._

Sheik's eyebrows moved into his hairline. "Impa…where, _exactly_, did you say the Princess was?"

Impa sat down on the bed next to him and replied, "She's in your spirit."

He gaped at her. "…WHAT??"

Impa sighed and pushed him back into a lying down position. "What is the last thing you remember, Sheik?"

"I remember Ganondorf doing…well, doing _something_ to me, and then lots of pain. And then I woke up just now."

"You remember nothing else? Nothing between then and now?"

"Well, now that you mention it…I remember feeling kind of…" He furrowed his brow and tried to think of an adequate description of the sensation that he had felt, then continued, "…weightless. And warm. Almost like I was back in the womb or something."

Impa's chin trembled and her eyes watered slightly. Had he said something wrong?

"Sheik, you died." Her words echoed harshly in the cavern.

"…I _what_?"

"Ganondorf tore your spirit from your body and you…you…" She turned away from him and took a few moments to regain her composure. "…It is unforgivable that he would bestow such harsh punishment on a mere _child_…" She turned back to him, a forced grin on her face. "But the fool unintentionally gave us a perfect safe haven for the Princess. Since your spirit had left your body, we were able to put both your spirit _and_ the Princess' spirit back into your body. And he won't come looking for you because he thinks that you are dead."

"Wait…how does that work? Why didn't my spirit move on if I…if I died?"

"The spell that he used made it so that you're spirit would remain in this world. Fortunately, Ardrea--" she gestured vaguely behind her, and the Sheikah that had been with Sheik on the horse waved briefly at him, "--got to you before your spirit dissipated. She put your spirit in a bottle and brought your body here, where we put the spirit of the Princess and your spirit into your body. The spirits are probably still trying to settle in, so your head will probably feel a little crowded for a couple more days."

Ardrea moved closer to Sheik. "You impressed me, little one. Not many Sheikah would have been able to be that close to Ganondorf's face without showing any fear, let alone spitting in it. Did you tell him of his scar or his piercings yet, Impa?"

"I was getting to that, Ardrea…" Sheik looked at Impa quizzically, and she continued, "You were also severely wounded by Ganondorf's spell. We were able to heal most of it, but you will always have a scar over your face and chest. When you are better, you should try not to show it to anyone. Anyone working for Ganondorf would surely recognize the mark of dark magic and would tell him that you are still alive. Can you promise me that you will not show your scar unless you know the person to be trustworthy?"

Sheik nodded vehemently.

"Good…now on a more pleasant note, your ears were pierced while you were resting." She smiled and gently pulled his left ear so that he could see the silver earring on his earlobe.

Sheik touched the left earring lightly, and checked the other ear. There was an earring there, too. "Really? You mean I'm a man now? I'm not complaining, but I'm only twelve! This is highly unusual!" He grinned like a child who had just been given an entire litter of puppies for his birthday.

Impa chuckled, "If dying for the Royal Family doesn't make you a man, then I don't know what does." She brushed a lock of hair from his face with her fingers. "And these are unusual circumstances…"

Ardrea quietly finished Impa's sentence, "…considering that we are the last three Sheikah."


	7. Chapter 7: A New Home

AN: When Zelda does something, she's not physically doing it, she's just thinking about it, and Sheik gets the gist of what she's doing. And when he puts up the mental barrier from Zelda's OOC dirty joke, it's basically like he puts duct-tape over her mouth or something. Mental duct-tape. :D

Am I getting better with chapter length?

* * *

Chapter 7 - A New Home

Sheik looked mildly confused, then he realized that his face was exposed. He put down his tea and hurriedly placed his hands over the right side of his face, trying his best to cover the dark scar that began on his jaw and lower cheek.

"I'm sorry, I forgot, I'm just so used to being by myself when I'm at home…" he explained. He used one hand to hastily pull the mask back over his face. "I try to keep it covered as much as I can, because it tends to freak people out, but…"

Sheik looked at the surface of his tea, a little too embarrassed to say anything else.

"…it doesn't bother me, Sheik." He looked up as Lynna lightly touched the back of his hand. "And it's not my business how you got it. I'm sorry."

He smiled without realizing it. "Don't be sorry, it's fine," he replied softly.

Zelda mimed reading something. _.:It says here in the script that this is the part where you jump over the table to make out with her. Whenever you're ready. No pressure, Sheik…:._

He sighed heavily as he delicately moved his hand out from under hers. _I really hate you sometimes, Princess…_

"Your tea is getting cold. You should finish it soon. Unless it's supposed to get cold? I don't know…" Sheik's fingertips hovered hesitantly at the edge of his mask. "Oh, come on, now. It doesn't bother me at all! In fact, I will go so far as to say I _like_ your scar! It adds character." Without further ado, she reached over the table and pulled down his mask. He shuddered slightly as her cool fingers grazed his scar. She settled back into her seat and stared determinedly at him. He had no choice but to down the tea under her scrutiny.

"You said before that you have a brother, right?" Sheik asked, after gulping down the last mouthful. Lynna nodded. "We should probably let him know that you're safe, and we can see if you might be able to stay with him."

"I have no idea where he is. He _said_ he would write, but I haven't heard from him for probably four years now. I think he might be…" her voice trailed off and she avoided his gaze for a moment before continuing, "And anyway, I don't think his house could fit so much as two children living in it, let alone two teenagers."

"Oh…" Sheik paused for a moment, then blurted out, "You can stay here with me, then."

The Princess' guffawing was the only sound in the brief silence that followed.

"…really? But you've already helped me so much…" Lynna sounded hopeful, almost like she had been waiting for him to ask.

He fidgeted with his empty tea cup, furious with himself for offering without thinking. It was too late to back down now. "Well…yeah. If you have nowhere else to go, and if you trust me enough to live with me…"

"Sheik, I've already trusted you with my life. What more would I have to lose?" she replied with a smile.

Zelda laughed mischievously, _.:Oh, _I_ can think of something she could 'lose'…:._

_I would never…! _

_.:Re-lax, loverboy…it was just a joke. And besides, I never said it was _you _that would--:._

_I THINK YOU'VE SAID QUITE ENOUGH FOR ONE DAY, PRINCESS._ And with that, Sheik hastily put a mental barrier between his mind and Zelda's. He could still hear her speaking to him, but her voice was severely muffled to the point where he couldn't understand her.

"You look upset. Did I say something wrong?" Lynna asked.

"What?…oh, no, not at all. I was just thinking about something." He collected their cups and put them in the sink to fill the awkward silence. "Well, if you're going to be living here, I might as well give you a little tour of the place…"

Sheik offered her his hand. She placed her hand in his and let him pull her up out of the chair. He couldn't deny that he felt a slight reluctance in allowing her hand to slip out of his.

"You've already seen the spare bedroom, which I guess is _your_ room now…we're in the kitchen now," He gestured towards a large, thick-walled cabinet in the corner. "That's the pantry. You can help yourself to anything in it. Dishes, glasses, and pots are up here--" he pointed to the same row of shelves that he got the tea cups from, "--if you want to cook anything."

He walked out of the kitchen and opened the door to the room next to Lynna's. It was the same as the other room, except it looked more lived-in and it had a few shelves with instruments on them. "This is my room, nothing too exciting…if you know how to play anything, you are more than welcome to use the instruments as long as you're careful with them. And if I'm in here and you need to talk to me, just knock first if the door is closed."

Next, Sheik led her to the door at the end of the hallway. He opened it, and there was another door directly in front and a set of stairs to the left. "This is the bathroom, should you have to, well, you know…" He nodded his head towards the door in front of him, then climbed the steps, leading Lynna up to the second floor.

"…and this is my favorite room in the house."

The second floor was one big, open room. There was one large window that was the entire height and almost the entire width of the wall, which currently offered a breathtaking view of the setting sun. Two of the walls had bookshelves piled high with books, figurines, and scraps of paper. The wall opposite the window had what seemed to be sketches and music scores pinned all over its surface. The only other furniture in the room was a couch facing the window, and a desk against the paper-covered wall.

"Feel free to read anything on the shelves, just don't look at anything in the desk drawers." Sheik put his hands on his hips and stared out the window. His gaze shifted to Lynna as she moved closer to the window.

"This is such a beautiful view," she breathed.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed.

He didn't realize that he was still looking at her.

* * *

Sheik closed the door behind him as he walked into his room. He pulled a small, black book out from under his mattress and opened it to a clean page before scrawling a few sentences under the date. Then, after replacing the book under the mattress, he lazily tugged his cloths off and slipped into a loose tunic and an old pair of pants, similar to what he had given Lynna to wear. He let out a yawn as he crawled under the covers on his bed and snuggled up to his pillow. He wearily removed the mental quarantine that he had placed on Zelda earlier.

She was surprisingly quiet.

_You can talk now, Princess._

_.:Why, thank you, your majesty…:._

_Oh, come on, don't be like that…_

_.:I will be however I like, Mr. I-swear-I-don't-like-her-even-though-I-invited-her-to-live-with-me!:._ Zelda retorted with a huff.

He sighed. _I'm sorry for blocking you off like that. Ok, Princess?_

_.:I forgive you, Sheik…and besides, I think it's just so adorable that you get all defensive about her like that! I pity any man who tries to get too close to her tomorrow when you go to Kakariko…:. _she replied with a grin.

He groaned in annoyance and buried his face in his pillow. _Goodnight, Princess._

* * *

There was something unusual in the air. Sheik tried to pinpoint exactly what it was as his eyes fluttered open.

"…why do I smell fish??" he grumbled as he sat up. He stood up and stretched briefly before heading to the kitchen. The smell grew more intense with every step. He stopped when he reached the doorway to the kitchen.

Lynna was at the sink, apparently just finishing with cleaning some pans. She still wore the clothes that Sheik had given her the night before. She had put two plates and forks at the table, each with a whole, still-steaming fish and what appeared to be steamed roots.

_.:Well, that explains the fish smell…:._ Zelda remarked.

"What's all of this, now?" Sheik asked with raised eyebrows.

Lynna gave a start, dropping the pan she was cleaning. She turned to him, and her face seemed to have a slight pinkish hue to it. He assumed it was from the heat of cooking. "Oh! You startled me!" She smiled shyly before answering his question, "Um…I made us some breakfast. Is that ok?"

_.:Aw, I think she likes you, Sheik…you know that they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach…:._ the Princess smirked.

He chose not to respond to her comment. "Of course it's ok…how did you make this? I didn't think I had any fish lying around in here…"

"I got them from the stream. And I found the roots a little bit upstream, by a nice little spring."

He now noticed that the bottoms of her pants had been rolled up to halfway up her calf, and that for about an inch above that, the pants were wet. He walked to the table and sat down. "This must've taken a while…how long have you been awake?"

Lynna looked pensive for a moment as she sat down across from him, then she replied, "I don't know…a few hours, maybe?"

"Really? But the sun is only coming up just now,"

She shrugged. "I guess I'm just an early riser." She picked up her fork, pulled a forkful of meat off of her fish, and took a bite. "Ah, perfect…" she sighed with a smile.

Sheik pulled some meat off of his fish. "You know, I've never had fish for breakfast before. I guess it's a Zora thing?" he said.

"I suppose so…what do Hylians usually have for breakfast, if not fish?"

"Well," he mumbled through a mouthful of fish, "Usually something like eggs, pancakes, sausage, or cereal…things like that." He swallowed. "This is exceptionally tasty, by the way. How did you learn to cook? I thought Zoras only ate raw food."

"I had to teach myself. You see, I got really sick once when I was little from the raw fish, so I had to learn how to cook so that I wouldn't get sick again." She shuddered slightly at the memory of the horrible case of food poisoning that she'd had. "I'm glad you like it, anyway…the Zoras always thought that cooking made the fish taste horrible."

"That's their loss, then," he said as he took another mouthful of fish. For the next few minutes, there was silence as they each ate.

"…I have to re-learn everything, don't I?"

Sheik looked up from his now-empty plate. Lynna had a curiously sad expression on her face. She continued, "I mean, just about everything I've known up until now is just…gone. The Zoras…The Domain…" Her breathing quickened slightly. "And Hylians are so different from them, from _me_…what if I don't fit in? What if everyone rejects me? What if--"

"Oh, stop it! Just because the Zoras didn't treat you well doesn't mean that the rest of the world won't! And I'll teach you anything you want to know about Hylian society, so don't worry about it, ok?"

"But…"

"Not another word! I mean it!" She shrank back at his retort. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and said softly, "I'll watch over you. I promise."

He felt a slight flutter in his stomach as she lightly placed her hand over his and gave it a little squeeze. "Thank you, Sheik."

_.:I guess Sheikah fall just as hard and fast as Hylians, hm?:._ Zelda's voice didn't have the usual teasing tone to it.

He didn't respond immediately.

…_I guess we do, Princess._


End file.
